US 'disappointed' over McKinnon

The US has said they are "disappointed" after the Home Secretary Theresa May blocked their request on human rights grounds to extradite computer hacker Gary McKinnon so he can stand trial. She described it as a "difficult and exceptional case".

David Burrowes MP - Gary McKinnon's MP - has welcomed Theresa May's decision not to extradite Gary to the US. He told a news conference: "We need to recognise this must never happen again and never happen again to other vulnerable UK citizens."

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A spokesman for the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is staying, has said that parallels can be drawn between Assange and Gary McKinnon.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange Credit: Lewis Whyld/PA Wire

He said: "There are obvious parallels here with the fears expressed by Julian Assange.

"The UK government ought to now publicly state that they will not, under any circumstances, allow the onward extradition of Julian Assange to the US where he would be subject to the undermining of his human rights just as Gary McKinnon would have been."

Mr Assange has been staying at the Embassy since June seeking to avoid extradition to Sweden.

Ahmad's family said in a statement that today's decision to block Gary McKinnon's extradition is "a clear demonstration of double standards".

"We would not want his family to experience the pain and suffering we have all been enduring since Babar was extradited," they said.

"However, questions do need to be asked as to why within the space of two weeks, a British citizen with Asperger's accused of computer related activity is not extradited, while two other British citizens, one with Asperger's, engaged in computer related activity are extradited."